of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



3 



opportunity of doing so. M'Ready, the fisherman, tells me the sluices 

 are never put down unless something is wrong with the mill. This 

 is not as it should be. The fishings are now held by Captain Hope, 

 of St. Mary's Isle, who also has bought the fishing rights formerly 

 held by the Cally Estate. The Yairs of the Dee are also in Captain 

 Hope's hands, those owned by the Burgh of Kirkcudbright being 

 rented by him. In this connection, I understand that when Captain 

 Hope took over these fishings in 1905 he offered to sell certain of 

 them to the upper proprietors for the sum paid, in order to improve 

 the river. This proposal referred to the doaches and the two net and 

 coble shots below the doaches and above Tongueland Bridge. This 

 most valuable opportunity for removing the doaches, which un- 

 doubtedly stand most materially in the way of real improvement in 

 the Sol way Dee, was unfortunately not taken advantage of. The 

 river is still netted in three or four places above, however, and to deal 

 in any satisfactory manner with the resuscitation of this beautiful 

 river, it is necessary that all netting arid cruive fishing above tide 

 reach should cease. It is unusual in these days, when salmon angling 

 is so valuable, to find a chance of this sort thrown away. I believe it 

 would not be difficult to find one or two enterprising sportsmen who 

 would willingly take over the river if negotiations for the removal of 

 the nets could be successfully carried through. 



Cree. — In the report from this district, published in Appendix IV., 

 appears the statement that there are no pollutions. On inspecting 

 the river on 21st June, I was more than surprised at the gross pol- 

 lution which is allowed to enter from the town sewers of Newton- 

 Stewart. The outfall is above tide reach and a short distance below 

 the outlying houses of the town. The slaughter-house is in close 

 proximity, and at the time of my visit the outfall was running red 

 with blood. Domestic sewage is apparently quite untreated, while in 

 the neighbourhood of the outfall is a horrible litter of all manner of 

 town refuse. I understand from the Clerk to the District Fishery 

 Board, whom I spoke to on the matter, that the site of the outfall was 

 selected by way of compromise after discussion between the County 

 Council and Lord Galloway, and that it has been complained against 

 by the proprietor of Maharmore House, which stands opposite the out- 

 fall. In my view, it is most objectionable in the interests of salmon 

 fisheries. The Cree is not a large river, and such an outfall cannot 

 fail to check the ascent of fish in normal conditions of water, and to 

 prevent them entering fresh water when the river is low. The fixed 

 nets of this and of the Fleet district are separately referred to in 

 Appendix III., which deals with the white-fish nets of the Solway. 



Bladenoch. — The Board which was constituted in this district in 

 1906 has lapsed owing to an irregularity at the time of its formation 

 and the opposition of certain local interests. A proposal for an 

 alteration of close time which I learned had since come up for con- 

 sideration amongst interested proprietors, I explained would now, 

 owing to the absence of a Board, be irregular. A petition was sent 

 from this district to the Secretary for Scotland in 1894, and was not 

 entertained for the same reason. 



Ayr. — Proceeding to the Ayr district, I visited the new salmon 

 passes at Catrine which have now been placed upon the obstructions 

 I referred to in a previous Report (the Twenty-fourth Report, p. 11). 



